 Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime
Piracy
Cindy Vallar, Editor
& Reviewer
P.O. Box 425,
Keller, TX 76244-0425
Books for
Adults ~ Biography: Pirates, Privateers, & Pirate
Hunters
Lafitte the Pirate
By Lyle Saxon
Illustrated by E. H. Suydam
Pelican, 2012, ISBN 978-1-4412-3602-9, US $15.95
Jean Lafitte
(also spelled Laffite) remains somewhat of
an enigma nearly two centuries after he
and his men helped Andrew Jackson and the
Americans win the Battle of New Orleans.
The British offered him the opportunity to
aid them in their struggle to gain control
of the Mississippi and this city that was
more European than American; instead, he
chose a different path that led to a
hero’s tribute as one of the saviors of
New Orleans. In 1930, Lyle Saxon published
a biography of this man in which he “tried
to present a truthful picture” by
separating fact from legend. He consulted
“contemporary documents and letters, and .
. . crumbling files of century-old
newspapers.” He likened the task to
“trying to put together a jig-saw puzzle,
a portrait of a man which had been cut
into a thousand fragments, and further
complicated because upon the reverse side
of the portrait was another picture
similar in coloring . . .” (ix) Lafitte
the Pirate is that book, which
Pelican has republished for a new
generation to enjoy.
The book opens with a letter, written by a
young boy, who chanced to meet Captain
Jean Lafitte and his brother, Pierre. From
there Saxon acquaints readers with
descriptions of the two men and what
little is known of their early lives.
Subsequent chapters discuss New Orleans
history, how the Lafittes joined with the
Baratarians, key associates, quadroons,
and Governor Claiborne’s repeated attempts
to thwart the smugglers and privateers.
Following their participation in the
Battle of New Orleans, the author explores
their spying for Spain, how public opinion
regarding Jean Lafitte’s smuggling and
privateering enterprise changed, his years
at Galveston, what became of him after he
left Texas, and the legend that grew up
around him.
Lafitte the Pirate was the first
book I read about Jean Laffite, and the
volume that started my collection of
pirate books. Saxon’s knowledge of
Louisiana and its history shines
throughout the book, spinning a vivid tale
that transports readers back to the places
where this gentleman pirate lived. Saxon's
style of storytelling makes this a quick
read and whets the reader’s appetite to
learn more. The one drawback to this book
is that Saxon doesn’t always cite his
sources and, at times, the legend intrudes
where it shouldn’t. After reading Saxon’s
book, I highly recommend reading William
Davis’s The Pirates Laffite, which
provides a more thorough account of Jean
Laffite and his compatriots that
incorporates information unavailable to
Saxon. Lafitte the Pirate,
however, remains one of my treasured
possessions and will always have a place
within the shelves of my library. It is
well worth the read and the journey back
to old New Orleans won’t disappoint.
Suydam’s black-and-white sketches add
spice to the voyage, providing readers
with extraordinary glimpses of a time and
place that no longer exists.
Review Copyright ©2012 Cindy Vallar
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